Everton Youth Teams Thread

[Eggs]

We also have a lot of important decisions to make over the next couple of years too with this current crop. 5 years ago I would imagine as many as 9/10 of them would have gone on to play 1st team football for us, the group is that good. However, sods law would have it that, with the new investment, we are moving on as a club, and now only the absolute elite will be able to compete with the level of player we will be able to buy in.

Deciding which ones to keep and let go is going to be very difficult, and I just hope that Unsy/Walsh et al are up to it.

...I think this is a really important point. It's also clear the club has a strategy to bring in highly talented youngsters (Lookman; Calvert-Lewin; Holgate) so it will be even more difficult for the existing lot to breakthrough. Not forgetting a number of U18s will be pushing next season.

 

[Eggs]

..funny enough I was in Knotty Ash barbers this morning and the barber said Unsworth was in a few weeks ago. He'd never been in before but apparently his child was in Alder Hey (hope everything is ok). Anyway, he said he thinks 6 of his U23 group are capable of playing in the Premier League even if it's not for Everton.

 

[Connor]

..funny enough I was in Knotty Ash barbers this morning and the barber said Unsworth was in a few weeks ago. He'd never been in before but apparently his child was in Alder Hey (hope everything is ok). Anyway, he said he thinks 6 of his U23 group are capable of playing in the Premier League even if it's not for Everton.

Aye, he touts the six number quite a bit.

 

[maccavennie]

..funny enough I was in Knotty Ash barbers this morning and the barber said Unsworth was in a few weeks ago. He'd never been in before but apparently his child was in Alder Hey (hope everything is ok). Anyway, he said he thinks 6 of his U23 group are capable of playing in the Premier League even if it's not for Everton.

Pennington
Kenny
Walsh
Dowell
Connelly

I'd definitely say, plus Banigme looks a real talent, Williams has had a nightmare with injuries so I hope he's given another season and same with Robinson.

that's not even mentioning my favourite one Charsley who should have bagged again last night!

 

[blueloon]

that's not even mentioning my favourite one Charsley who should have bagged again last night!

Right mate, your going to have to justify that . Ive seen just about the whole range of opinions on tinternet re last night from "non will make it" to " all will make it somewhere" , reality is somewhere in between so it would be good to get a different view from my own on Charsley.
I can't make up my mind about him. He scores good goals, but not as sublime as Dowell's. He's energetic but not as much as Walsh. He's versatile ( right back , DFM , attacking mid) but not as versatile as Connolly, he tackles but not as well as Williams. He's got a wee bit of most things , but for me not enough of anything to push him towards the first team squad. I said in a post the other week that on games played and contribution made then overall I'd have him as our player of the season for the U23s. He's a superb squad member to have at this level.. But ..... I put him in the Conor Grant/ Connor Mc Aleny category, a tidy player when going forward, well coached , disciplined for the team, scores some good goals , rarely has a bad game , but doesn't do enough to make me think "This is a PL player in the making",yet I like him and his attitude.

So a half jokey comment, but would be genuinely interested in hearing why you have him as your favourite.
Edit: More for the "Wtf do I know" column, McAleny just scored for Oxford !!

 

[LinekersLegs]

 

[stretford blue]

Shame for the lad that hopefully if he has impressed in training another loan on the cards

 

[maccavennie]

Right mate, your going to have to justify that . Ive seen just about the whole range of opinions on tinternet re last night from "non will make it" to " all will make it somewhere" , reality is somewhere in between so it would be good to get a different view from my own on Charsley.
I can't make up my mind about him. He scores good goals, but not as sublime as Dowell's. He's energetic but not as much as Walsh. He's versatile ( right back , DFM , attacking mid) but not as versatile as Connolly, he tackles but not as well as Williams. He's got a wee bit of most things , but for me not enough of anything to push him towards the first team squad. I said in a post the other week that on games played and contribution made then overall I'd have him as our player of the season for the U23s. He's a superb squad member to have at this level.. But ..... I put him in the Conor Grant/ Connor Mc Aleny category, a tidy player when going forward, well coached , disciplined for the team, scores some good goals , rarely has a bad game , but doesn't do enough to make me think "This is a PL player in the making",yet I like him and his attitude.

So a half jokey comment, but would be genuinely interested in hearing why you have him as your favourite.
Edit: More for the "Wtf do I know" column, McAleny just scored for Oxford !!

for all those reasons you mentioned mate is why I like him. I'm not sure if it was you but someone mentioned a few days ago that he would be first on the team sheet due to -

versatility
work rate
tactically he's very disciplined when required
he finds pockets of space

I've mentioned it time after time that players who have an uncanny knack of finding space to score goals are very rare but very valuable. Cahill was immense in the air but it's no good being great at heading if you can't find the space to head it in the first place. He wasn't too shabby on the deck at finishing either. To a lesser extent Naismith was like this. Barely done anything on the ball and tended to pass back to where the ball came from but in and around the box he had a knack of scoring goals. Massive mistake by Martinez to get shut of him because his work rate and knack for a goal weren't replaced.

I know why Charsley probably gets overlooked compared to others but even last night he had one chance first half he should have buried ( and normally would ) and then brought out a great save from the keeper whilst all the while chasing, harrying, helping Roninson push on and he was relentless right up to the 93rd minute.

If he doesn't make it with us, I hope he has a fantastic career with someone else. But I'd like to see him stick around and get a loan next season, I think he's ready for a more competitive level of togger and think he's like to test himself.

sorry for the long winded reply mate lol

 

[kithnou]

Shame. Did he play 2 games or something only?

 

[blueloon]

Shame. Did he play 2 games or something only?

Yeah, Utd was his first, think he was injured in 2nd. There's some comments from Unsy somewhere where he says his season may not be over , but if it is , it isn't the end of things with Everton. For thebreported £1.5 mill fee he is worth a punt ....err, but I recognise it may be a bit illogical from me based solely on seeing him play one game, but think his training must have been good too.

 

[Ring master]

Yeah, Utd was his first, think he was injured in 2nd. There's some comments from Unsy somewhere where he says his season may not be over , but if it is , it isn't the end of things with Everton. For thebreported £1.5 mill fee he is worth a punt ....err, but I recognise it may be a bit illogical from me based solely on seeing him play one game, but think his training must have been good too.

Donkor played Full game v man utd,60 v arsenal,10 v norwich in the cup game he went off injured with this injury

 

[johnnydawg68]

nah moyes wouldve just picked phil neville ahead of any of them!
important we qualify for europe next season so we have more games and will hopefully see more opportunities for those that deserve them

Spot on. The lack of Cup games is hurting the opportunities. We need to use the lads in as many of the non league competitions as possible. You will never know what you have if they don't get a chance. Liam Walsh in particular is one I think we have to see if he fits. He's a player and he'll get paid to play football, but our midfield is getting very crowded.

 

[johnnydawg68]

Had a conversation this weekend with another massive Blue on here about the yoof. How many would take a career as a squad player for Everton, getting the odd league game, cup games, etc. vs leaving to player regular football, even if it's down the league? Because quite frankly a lot of these lads are going to have to make that decision I think. Think about the money we absolutely tossed away in wages on the likes of Gibson, Pienaar, McGeady etc the last few seasons? You can't tell me in a few years time, most of these lads aren't good enough to be filler like they were.

But is that what's best for them?

 

[MikeH72]

47 year old Conor McAleny scored for Oxford yesterday. Didn't even know he'd gone there.

 

[maccavennie]

47 year old Conor McAleny scored for Oxford yesterday. Didn't even know he'd gone there.

he's been shipped out that many times mate he probably didn't know where he was either.